An Authentic, Sometimes Gritty, and Always Hopeful Blog for All Who Live with Severe Physical Pain

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Dolphin Miracles

I spent some time at Va. Beach last week with a friend who also walks a journey with great pain. We bear one another's burdens, believing what we can not always see: The Lord will, not only take us through, He will use our pain for good some how, some way.

One morning,I got up before dawn and walked down to the beach. The beach was empty, except for two or three other people. I wished later there had been a multitude!

I walked a ways along the shoreline, eyes riveted to the horizon as the dawn began to throw flecks of gold onto the waves.

When the sun was about to make its appearance, I stopped to catch the moment when it would officially mark the day. Silently, I waited, almost holding my breath. In the glinting waves, two dolphins appeared, making the scene even more lovely.

Then, the miraculous showed up!

Just when the sun appeared above the horizon, sending a path of gold to the shoreline, the dolphins began to leap out of the water...diving in great arches in and around the path! They spun and splashed, leaping over and over, sometimes individually, and other times together. I have seen hundreds of dolphins off of Va. Beach over the years, and have kayaked among them as they swooped under and around my boat, but never have I seen behavior like this! This was no kind of hunting (or mating) behavior; rather they seemed to be dancing!

Hearing laughter behind me, I looked back to see twin girls, around the age of seven, running to the shore, still dressed in their pajamas, their hair tangled; their mom following at a distance while she tried not to spill her cup of coffee.

"Look, Mom! It's dolphins!" one called over her shoulder, gleefully.

"...and they are real!" The other added, jumping up and down in the sand, in open expression of her delight.

"Are they tame?" the first implored of her mom, grabbing her sister's hand, and skipping with her towards the water to get a closer look.

"No, honey. They are wild." the mom replied, finally catching up to them. I watched as the girls danced at the water's edge-- their happy voices sailing back to me in the wind.

The twins on the sand...the twins in the sea... all four dancing.

Resounding joy to the glory of God all around them.

My God who desires to encourage and bless me, blesses my life with such delights. When I cast my eyes and heart away from this pain, and listen for His whispers telling me where to go...what to do...miracles give light to my way. Then, I can proclaim, "It is good to suffer."